Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from fruit or juice. Sherbet is also made from fruit and is a frozen dessert; however, sherbet typically includes dairy. Sorbet does not. Both words do come from the same word base tracing back to the Arabic sharba or drink.
Sorbet can be pronounced (sor bay) or (sor bet). The plural is made by adding an s. The pronunciation then changes to (sor bays) or (sor bets).
Sorbet is actually a French word and the variation of the Italian sorbetto. Sorbetto is sometimes used outside the Italian language (usually in Italian restaurants), but there is technically no difference between the two desserts.
Examples
And yuzu sorbet (they also sometimes offer starfruit), while it’s not a low-sugar indulgence, is at least a light one, lacking the fat and dairy of ice cream or gelato. [Orlando Weekly]
My bowl of ice cream (£4.50), maintained the high standards with scoops of figs and honey, pistachio and strawberry clotted cream extremely creamy and packed with flavour while Fiona was more than happy with her refreshing passion fruit sorbet. [Get West London]
By running bananas or other frozen fruit through a high-powered blender you can create tasty sorbets and ice creams. [Newport News Times]
With hand-made gelato and sorbetto from Gelato Maestro in Portland, Caffé Montecassino is a great choice for those looking for something different than traditional American ice cream. [The Oregonian]
The intense flavours of this sorbetto are pure and clean, and really need little in the way of accompaniment – a drizzle of extra passionfruit pulp is delicious but entirely optional. [Gourmet Traveller]